The topic of Steller Spirit Wear has been raised a few times recently. Join us at the Steller Parent Group meeting on Tuesday, December 8 at 6:00pm to discuss:
Please feel free to share your feedback to chairstellerparentgroup@gmail.com
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
ASD is currently running a unique way to recognize staff for their efforts to support our children in their learning. The website describes it this way:
Quyana (ku-‘ya-na) a Central Yup’ ik word for thank you, is also the name of our site-based award of appreciation. You can give this award to any employee or volunteer in recognition of achievement, service or dedication.
We thought wouldn’t it be a lovely way to recognize the extra work Steller staff has been doing for us if we managed to write a Quyana for every staff member at Steller? I think it is so much more meaningful if the thank you is specific and comes from someone who knows the staff member. This is where you come in. Would you be willing to write a short thank you to one or two staff members? It only take a few minutes, and is such a nice gesture as we wrap up our second quarter.
If you are willing, let me know and I can share our list of everyone who has already been thanked, and then go to this link and write your Quyana.
Warm regards,
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
My name is Carly F, I’m a senior, and I have volunteered in Mrs. Caldarera’s kindergarten classroom for the last 8 years. I have gone in almost every school day for 1-2 hours a day and this has resulted in over 900 volunteer hours in the classroom! I absolutely love volunteering there because I can see the direct impact I have on the children’s lives. It is very rewarding being able to see how I have helped over 140 children learn to read, write, and do math. Every year I learn more about the classroom so I am able to take more burdens off of Mrs. Caldarera which greatly benefits the class. I love playing with the kids and building a unique relationship with each of them. I know that a lot of the time as the kindergarteners grow older they no longer remember me, but I know they will remember the things I taught them and the fun things we did together.
I have done two separate passages in the kindergarten classroom. In the spring of my 9th-grade year, I did a passage based on providing upper-level kids with challenging math. I worked with 6 different kids and met with all of them in small groups twice a week. In the spring of my 11th-grade year, I did a passage helping the lower level kids get caught up with their reading and writing. I worked with 6 kids individually and met with them once a week. I worked with 3 children where English was not spoken at home, which was a learning experience for me. I even met with this one boy 3+ times a week because he needed extra help. Once I started working one-on-one with him there were many improvements in his behavior and his academics. From winter break to spring break, he went from knowing 13 letters and 12 sounds to knowing 22 letters and 20 sounds. I absolutely love volunteering with Mrs. Caldarera and I am grateful that I’ve been given this opportunity every year.
Carly F
Senior
You should be proud of what a difference you have made in the lives of all the children you work with Carly! Well done.
Naomi H. is a 7th grader at Steller. This past month, she has helped out at the mobile food bank and regularly walked Maya, the service dog, to help out an ill friend. She has also been working on assembling care packages to donate to the Pet Stop for dogs and cats with cancer. This summer, she raised over $600 by selling items at the downtown weekend market and will use the funds to complete the baskets for her homegrown charity, Sincerely, Little Su.
It is great to see all the creative ways you are contributing to your community Naomi!
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
Michael with Bill Ross, chairman of the 4th of July parade council, celebrating a successful broadcast of the special presentation.
Michael at the Food Bank.
Michael H. is a junior at Steller. He has been involved in OP Group, TPC, NHS this year at Steller. He has been volunteering monthly at the mobile good bank in Fairview and helped out with the Thanksgiving Blessing, as well. This summer, Michael worked for many hours as the video production and media specialist to create “The Special Presentation of the Veterans 4th of July Parade†which was broadcast on PBS on July 4th at 11am in lieu of the annual in person parade. He is also serving as a current committee member of the Veterans 4th of July Parade Council.
Michael H.
Steller Senior
Michael, it is good to see you developing you skills for so many good causes. Well done!
My name is Logan Davis, and I am a senior from Ken’s advisory. Ever since I first came to Steller in 7th grade I have been at every Op. Group meeting as a representative for my advisory. In that first year I fell in love with the sense of community and leadership I felt during every meeting as we discussed current events within Steller and proposals for the future. In my final year at Steller, I feel a strong nostalgia seeing younger students engage in Op. Group and realize the value they contribute towards their community much like I did long ago. I was beyond excited to be elected as this year’s Vice President of the group and join some of my close friends as student leaders. Although certain dynamics of Op. Group have changed within the last year, I am proud to be a part of a community that has persevered and adapted in the face of turbulence.
I am also happy that I was able to become a seminar coach again for Leigh Anne’s second quarter 8th grade seminar. Like all eighth graders at Steller, I took seminar and I simply loved the class. I enjoyed being able to engage in academic discussions with my classmates within a relaxed peer-to-peer environment. I knew from the moment I finished the class that I wanted to go through it all again as a coach when the time was right. In my junior year, I coached for the first time in Danielle’s first semester seminar, and I was unsure if I would ever be able to coach again. Nowadays, seminar has changed much like Op. Group and the differences in my coaching experience from last year compared to now has been a great learning experience. Regardless of those changes, I have enjoyed watching another wave of underclassmen begin to find their voice and develop the critical thinking skills that remain with them in the future.
Logan D.
Steller Senior
Thanks for all your contributions to the Steller Community Logan!
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
During the typical holiday season, there is a drumbeat for gift giving – to friends, family, colleagues, and clients (to name a few!). This year, however, global and local circumstances may put a damper on excessive shopping. Indeed, as people seek ways to cut down on gift giving, they may instead focus on how to make a difference.
On December 1, hundreds of thousands of civic-minded individuals around the world will celebrate #GivingTuesday by donating to their favorite nonprofit organization or cause, and spreading the word to encourage more giving. According to “Giving Tuesday and Beyondâ€, 38 percent of those who donate to charity said that they are more likely to do so during the holiday season.
Here at Steller Secondary our community is known to be extremely generous — we have started highlighting all the ways our students and families give back to our school and the community at large with their time, talents and donations through the #StellerGives campaign. Please continue to share your stories by emailing them to chairstellerparentgroup@gmail.com and we will highlight them through Flash and the Student Showcase on the website.
We also humbly ask that you consider donating to Steller Parent Group as part of your giving plan this year, if you feel you are in a position to do so. This year, the Steller Parent Group has decided to introduce a direct donation appeal for families that would like to offer support since we can’t hold any in person fund-raising events. All donations go directly toward supporting Steller students and projects. There is a Donate button at the top right of the Steller Secondary website page for quick and easy payments (scroll down to the bottom if you are reading this on your phone).
This year Steller Parent Group has funded:
When you shop using Amazon Smile with Steller Parent Group as your designated charity or using this link, SPG receives money back to support student programs at Steller Secondary. Want to know more about how we use the funds we raise? Visit here.
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
All parents/guardians, students and staff are automatically part of the Steller Parent Group and welcome to attend meetings, share ideas and vote on decisions. This month in addition to regular updates from Reed, staff, and OpGroup we will be discussing the progress of the Student Nutrition Committee, updates on the #StellerGives campaign to recognise the contributions of Steller students, staff and families to our school and the wider community. We are still accepting funding requests as well.
You can find the Agenda here, and previous Meeting Minutes on under the “Parents” tab of the website, here.
We look forward to seeing you!
Kirsten Tschofen
Chair, Steller Parent Group
Use this Zoom link to join:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/94394820644?pwd=ZkNYV3B3dXA2OFBKME9ZQVZkN2hDZz09
Meeting ID: 943 9482 0644
Passcode: 693295
One tap mobile
+13462487799,,94394820644# US (Houston)
+16699009128,,94394820644# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location
877 853 5247 US Toll-free
888 788 0099 US Toll-free
Meeting ID: 943 9482 0644
Find your local number: https://asdk12.zoom.us/u/abixuyvn6
